GDHQNHL15_2pg-Vancouver Canucks 1

Calgary Flames Gameday HQ

Vancouver
CANUCKS WESTERN CONFERENCE
Offense
The 2014-15 season was a worst-case scenario for the Canucks
offense in a number of ways. The Sedin twins scored at their lowest rate
in at least a decade. Alex Burrows spent much of the season injured or
ineffective. Alexander Edler had a nightmare season with an ugly -39
rating. Only Ryan Kesler managed to score more than 20 goals and the
team as a whole finished a dismal 28th in goals scored per game.
With as much talent as the Canucks have, it was a bitterly
disappointing performance. Much of the blame has to go to head coach
John Tortorella, a fiery personality who seemed to have no sense for
when being too fiery was too much. Tortorella is known for melting
down in press conferences and even started a fight in the Calgary Flames
locker room after the first period of a game. Meanwhile, former coach
Alain Vigneault took the New York Rangers to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Vancouver fired Tortorella despite four years remaining on his
contract, and it’s hard to imagine the team won’t improve under new
coach Willie Desjardins. There’s little doubt that much of Vancouver’s
struggles stemmed from players being frustrated by Tortorella’s antics.
Any time a team features the Sedin twins, Burrows, Kesler, and Edler,
that team should be able to score some goals.
It’s for that reason that I expect a turnaround in Vancouver this
season. That includes a return to form for the Sedin brothers and a
boost from acquisitions such as Radim Vrbata and Nick Bonino. It might
not quite be enough to return the Canucks to the top of the Western
Conference, but it should help bring Vancouver back to relevance at
the very least.
Defense
Dan Hamhuis solidified his place as one of the top defensive
defensemen in the Pacific Division with another strong performance
last season despite the turmoil surrounding the Canucks. Hamhuis is the
team’s go-to option in penalty killing situations and when the Canucks
are backed up in their own zone. Hockey Prospectus rated Hamhuis a
+8.9 on defense last year, the highest mark on the Canucks and second in
the division to Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
One bright spot for the Canucks was the development of young
defenseman Chris Tanev, who also received a very good defensive rating
from Hockey Prospectus (+7.0 in his case). Tanev also earned a +12 rating
in 64 games, second to Hamhuis. Tanev and Hamhuis give the Canucks a
strong pair of defensemen they can turn to in tough situations.
Kevin Bieksa played his usual solid level of hockey as a plus defender
with some contributions as a passer on the offensive end of the ice.
PACIFIC DIVISION
Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin
Key Additions:
Ryan Miller, Radim Vrbata, Nick
Bonino, Derek Dorsett, Luca
Sbisa
Key Subtractions:
Jason Garrison, Mike Santorelli,
Ryan Kesler, Dale Weise, David
Booth, Zac Dalpe
Strengths:
Goaltending, penalty killing
Weaknesses:
Scoring, power play, coaching
Jeff Viccick/NHL/Getty Images